Up There
by keekum
Summary: The Ring was destroyed, and all was peaceful in Middle Earth. But for the remaining members of the Fellowship, peace was only desirable in moderation. They longed to have an adventure again. And, after discovering a geographical secret, they found more


A/N: Howdy everyone! This is an adventure that takes place a little bit after the War of the Ring. The remaining members of the Fellowship are..well..just read, hehe!!!  
  
Disclaimer: All characters in this story belong entirely to a literary and linguistic GENIUS by the name of J. R. R. Tolkien..actually, now they belong to his heirs. Well, I made up the Navigator, but that's it.  
  
Up There  
  
Some people are simply adventurous. There is no other way to describe them. They always believe that there is something else out there, waiting for them to find it. Life is not only an experience for them, it is a quest. It is an endeavor. Sometimes they are searching for meaning, sometimes they are searching for answers, and sometimes they are searching for themselves. But most of the time, they are searching for excitement.  
  
In the land of Middle Earth, everyone was adventurous. Some were more so than others, but all possessed some element of curiosity about the world around them, and sometimes the world far away from them. That is why the serenity that followed the War of the Ring was almost unbearable for many of them. That is why they searched for adventure.  
  
_____________________  
  
Gandalf sat alone in the bookrooms of Gondor, scrounging through an assortment of maps that he had gathered.  
  
"The firy pit of Udun..been there, done that," he sighed as he threw one map on the floor.  
  
"Near Harad, far Harad...boooring," another map fell to the ground.  
  
"By the flame of Arnor, is there one single place in Middle Earth I haven't been to?" he muttered, feeling quite unnerved.  
  
"No, I must say there is not," a strange voice whispered from a nearby hall.  
  
Gandalf leapt from his seat. "Who are you? Show yourself!" he said, almost shouting. He assumed a defensive stance, staff raised, awaiting the intruder.  
  
A tall figure stepped out of the darkness. "I call myself the Navigator."  
  
"The Navigator? What are you, a retired ship captain or something?" huffed Gandalf.  
  
The Navigator laughed. "No, I have not that honor. I am a keeper of the maps of Gondor's libraries. I know the details of every place in and around Middle Earth; including all the ancient realms of the Valar. I have studied your adventures, Gandalf the White, and I must say that I am impressed with the extent of your travels."  
  
"Thank you, I suppose," Gandalf replied, "but I only do what comes naturally to me. I think it's in my blood to always be moving, going somewhere. That's why I am here, now. I want to find somewhere else to go, somewhere I have never been before."  
  
The Navigator smiled, appearing almost sinister in the dim candlelight. His wrinkled face suggested a depth of experience that was likely unmatched in Middle Earth, except, of course, by the Elves. "To go somewhere you have never been before, you will of course have to be very open to new things. Things even you may find unimaginable."  
  
"What do you mean?" Gandalf asked, with growing curiosity.  
  
"You have traveled north, south, east and west. You have even traveled down into the depths of the earth, particularly when you followed the Balrog deep into the Mines of Moria. But have you ever been," the Navigator motioned upward with his crooked finger, "up there?"  
  
Gandalf raised a bushy eyebrow. "Up there?" he repeated, his gray eyes widening in wonder.  
  
"Yes, my friend. The world does not end with the sky."  
  
Gandalf stroked his beard, and began to understand the old man's words.  
  
"Have you ever wondered why our land is called 'Middle Earth'?" asked the Navigator, his fingers lightly tracing a map of Gondor that lay on Gandalf's desk.  
  
"I honestly have not," Gandalf replied, "although now that I think of it, there must be some reason."  
  
The Navigator smiled once again. He gazed out of the window at the setting sun, and inhaled the thick air of the old bookroom as he watched the changing colors of the sky. "There is another world, one that few speak of here. A world beyond the boundaries of the sky, where they do not know the magic of the elves, or the craftmanship of the dwarves, or the wisdom of the wizards. The only race up there is men. And, of course, men are easily corrupted. I should know, because I am one. Their world is stricken with greed and much suffering, but it is amazing how they advance, both intellectually and technologically. For what it is worth, they have certainly learned how to leave their mark on the world. I have always been aware of their land, and I have my ways of knowing these things. Yet I have never been there myself, for lack of time and, quite frankly, lack of interest. But you, my friend, you seem like just the person to go. I have always imagined how it would affect our world if we could have even the slightest contact with their world. Despite their general haughtiness, I feel that there are many things that we could learn from them. I only needed to find someone who was willing to go. Tell me, Gandalf, would you be interested in going?"  
  
Gandalf sat down, his legs suddenly feeling weak. He stroked his brow with his left hand, rubbing his temples, as if his mind was still absorbing what his ears had just heard. "This is quite a blow, you know," he said, once he could finally speak again, "I was ready for an adventure, but I'm not sure I was ready for this."  
  
The Navigator smiled, and nodded understandingly. "I know it is difficult to grasp the concept, Gandalf, but our world is not the only one that exists."  
  
Gandalf stared into the crystal on the top of his staff. The light from the nearby fire shone through it, and it served as a prism, reflecting colors throughout the room. "But you are right, Navigator," he said, the red light illuminating his face, "To bridge the gap between the worlds would be an unequaled accomplishment."  
  
There was a long silence in the room, as they contemplated the possibilities.  
  
Finally, Gandalf spoke. "I'll do it," he said.  
  
"Are you sure?" the Navigator asked.  
  
Gandalf nodded, exhaling a deep sigh. "I think I'm the only one who would be willing to."  
  
The Navigator smiled. "And you, my friend, are the perfect representation of Middle Earth."  
  
A/N: Well, that's all for now! Hope you enjoyed it!!! Please review and tell me what you think. There will, of course, be more, but it will take a little while because I have to write it first, hehe. Later folks!! 


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